"George, a resident of the town of al-Fakha in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley,
takes out a rifle he inherited from his father 20 years after he
acquired it. "I oiled it, then inspected its bullets," he said. He only
had nine bullets, but he bought 200 additional ones and placed them with
the rifle in a cupboard near his bed. "Whoever doesn't look out for
himself is stupid and naive," he added. For the first time in nearly 25
years of marriage, his wife appreciates his passion for hunting.

"At least if he shoots, he’ll hit his target," she said, laughing sarcastically.

George's behavior is new, in light of the situation in the northern Bekaa Valley, specifically with the presence of thousands of militants in the barren plains of Arsal and the eastern Lebanese mountain range on the border with Syria. The statement released by the Ahrar al-Sunnah Brigades, in which they threatened to attack churches and Christians in the region, has had a deep impact on many residents. There are also many reports and scenarios being shared on social media about the possibility of villages inhabited by Christians being raided.

George noted that some of the families from al-Fakha have now avoided coming to the town, or at least decreased their outings. He, however, will not leave, saying, "I was born and raised here, and I want to die here."

This two-part report sheds a light on how men from certain Christian
villages in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley that are close to the Syrian border
are taking up arms to protect their communities from possible attacks by
Wahhabi militants from across the Syrian border, from the Qalamoun
mountainous area. The purpose, according to people who were interviewed,
is mainly to protect the villages in case of a surprise attack until
the Lebanese Army arrives.

The presence of thousands of
terrorists from the Islamic State (IS, aka ISIL or ISIS) and the
al-Qaeda affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra at a distance that is less than 2.5
Km from certain villages has already proven a dangerous situation, as
incursions by the militants into Lebanon have already taken place within
the last few months, including carrying out attacks against the
Lebanese Army.